hitting all the
Right Notes
South Hills Children’s Choir
offers kids a different tune.
By Mark Berton
J
ennie Nolan always knew she would start
her own choir one day, but the timing
of life tends to sidetrack a lot of dreams.
Fortunately for her, however, her children
are now old enough to allow Nolan to focus
less on homeschooling and more on her true
passion – music.
A classically trained singer with a degree
in Choral Music from Biola University in
California and a current singer with the
Pittsburgh Camerata, Nolan directed choirs
in California before her husband took a job in
Pittsburgh 13 years ago.
“I directed the San Diego Children’s Choir
and the Palomar Youth Chorale,” Nolan said.
“I’ve taught band, classroom music, English,
you name it. I most enjoy working in a choral
situation, and we finally decided it’s time to
start something that really isn’t like anything
else in the South Hills area.”
The South Hills Children’s Choir is a
nonprofit, community choir open to any kids
who can sing, audition and join. The choir got
off the ground last fall and made it through its
first holiday season.
“We sang at Phipps and people really
enjoyed that. We also sang at South Hills
Village and local senior living communities.
We got a lot of good feedback and people
were very responsive to us.”
What makes the South Hills Children’s
Choir different is the depth of the material
Nolan is willing to explore with the kids.
From Bach, Brahms and Mozart, to traditional
Maori tunes from the indigenous people of
New Zealand, Nolan’s not afraid to rise to the
music at hand. Throughout the year, they’re
scheduled to sing “The Star Spangled Banner”
at a Washington Wild Things game, entertain
at Washington Area Assisted Living Center
and are trying to get into Kennywood for
some performances.
“We want to offer something unique, to
give kids depth in their understanding of
music and life,” Nolan said. “We also want
to be a real, true, functioning choir and not a
whim that passes after a couple of years. We
want to be a place where kids can come and
learn singing techniques and learn teamwork
in a creative, artistic situation.”
Because different schools have different
policies on sending fliers home with students,
the South Hills Children’s Choir currently has
a core of Canon-McMillan students, some
Christian schools and some home-schooled
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Upper St. Clair | Spring 2014 | icmags.com 61